Thomas William Miller

 

Watson School of Education                                                  (910-962-3881

University of North Carolina Wilmington                                         millert@uncw.edu

601 S. College Rd.                                                                            

Wilmington, NC 28403

                                                                                               

 

Current Employment Status:

 
                                    Project Instructional Leader: Watson School of Education, University North Carolina Wilmington  
                                               

-         Assess, evaluate and modify the effectiveness of the participants program through observation, surveys and data driven methods.

-         Collect and managed data for Middle Grades Educators Empowering Learners (MGEEL) grant for University Instructors to further education investigation.

-         Collaborate with the Watson School of Education Outreach Alliances Department members to develop and maintain community to school programs.

-         Develop and update grant web site and newsletter to provide evaluative data to MGEEL participants and instructors.

-          

Teaching Experience:                     

 

 

June 2007 -                  Learning Disabled Resource, Roger Bacon Academy

November 2007              Leland, N.C.

-         Conducted interest surveys to align individual student curriculum to promote success in educating students with specific learning disabilities, autism, and specific learning disabilities in the areas of reading, writing and math.

-         Developed informal assessment and analyzed formal assessments to create individualized education plans based upon student need.

-         Collected data to write Individualized Education Plans, Functional Behavior Assessments, and Intervention Plans. 

 

2005 – 2007                Learning Disabled Resource, Murrayville Elementary, Wilmington, N.C.             
-         Wrote Individualized Education Plans based upon formal and informal assessment to develop strategies and strengthen student’s basic academic skills to promote success within a typical setting or community. 
-         Chaired Student Support team meetings to assess data, implement strategies and interventions to promote student success within the typical classroom setting and community.

-         Supported National Board Teacher Certification applicants through staff development and reading entries.

-          Presented staff development for interns and Initially Licensed Teacher’s in areas of behavior management, classroom management, data collection and assessment, interventions and modifications, and communication with parents.

 
2000 – 2005                Life Skills 2 Autism Educator, Alderman Elementary, Wilmington, N.C.

-         Assessed and evaluated behaviors to develop curriculum, communication systems and classroom management strategies.

-         Utilized social interest surveys completed by families to create and implement “Community Based Learning” program. 

-         Wrote and received yearly grants to fund weekly community Based Instruction trips to promote life skills.

 

Education:

2005 – 2007    Masters: Curriculum Instruction & Supervision, University of North Carolina Wilmington

            Kappa Delta Pi International Honor Society in Education

            Pi Lambda Theta International Honor Society in Education

 

1996-2000       Bachelors of Science; Special Education, East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania

 

Certificates:

 

2005                National Board Certification: Early Childhood through Young Adult:                                     Exceptional Needs Specialist

 

Licenses:

            * Curriculum Instructional Specialist     

 

            * Cross Categorical: (K-12)

 

 

Educational Research:

The Overall Effects of a Critical Friends Group within an Elementary School Setting: 2007

- Thesis study, implemented and studied the overall effects of a critical friend group within a South Eastern North Carolina elementary school.  Results from the CFG were compared to previous collaboration and professional development opportunities of the 9 participants.            

 

Presentations:

-  Mentoring Exceptional Children’s Teachers using 21st Century Standards:

Mentoring 21st Century Educators Conference, UNCW:   March 2008

            -  Behavior Development:

                        Roger Bacon Academy and New Hanover County Schools: 2000-2008

            -  National Board Candidate Support: Reflecting on the Video Segments

                        New Hanover County Schools: 2005-2008

            -  Providing Interventions in the General Setting:

                        New Hanover County Schools: 2005-2007

            -  A General Educators Guide to Implementing a students IEP Successfully:

                        New Hanover County schools: 2004-2007

            - Providing Communication Support for Students with Autism:

                        New Hanover County Schools: 2001-2004

-  Building Relevant Curriculum:

                        New Hanover County Schools/UNCW 2000-2005

            -  Helping Hands:

                        New Hanover County Coming Together Conference: April 2005

 

Teacher Leadership:

         

-         2005 – 2008: National Board Certification Teacher candidates

-         2005- 2007: Co-chair person Student Support Team Murrayville Elementary

-         2005-2007: Site Coordinator Murrayville Elementary for interns from UNCW

-         2005- 2007: Lead Mentor (Murrayville Elementary)

-         2005 - 2008: Certified TPAI-R Observer/Evaluator (New Hanover County Schools)

-         Spring 2004 - Partnership Teacher 

-         2003-2005 Exceptional Children Chairperson (Alderman Elementary School)

 

Research Interests:

 

-         Teacher development

-         Collaboration practices

-         Teacher retention

-         Student Interests in relation to school curriculum

 

 

Grants Received:

-  2001     “New Hanover County Schools Assistive Technology Grant” – An eight thousand dollar grant designed to promote student communication in schools, home and community by providing assistive technology resources and training for students with communication disorders.

 

                -  2001- 2002 “Community Based Instruction” -  A five hundred dollar grant received from the Greater Wilmington Chamber of Commerce Council designed to promote community awareness for students with autism.

 

                -  2002-2003 “Take Me to Learn” – A five hundred dollar grant received from the Greater Wilmington Chamber of Commerce Council designed to promote social and leisure skills by participating in community based leisure and life skills activities. 

 

                - 2003 – 2004 “Wilmington Therapeutic Equestrian Center”  - A five hundred dollar grant received from the Greater Wilmington Chamber of Commerce Council developed to model, teach and assess students with autism Equestrian Skills.               

 

                -  2004 – 2005  “Learning About Life” – A five hundred and eight dollar grant received by the Greater Wilmington Chamber of Commerce Education Council to promote communication skills for students with autism and communication disorder within their local community.

  

                -  2005 – 2006 “My Own Bookshelf” – A five hundred dollar grant received from the Greater Wilmington Chamber of Commerce Council designed to promote students with disabilities to write and publish their own stories and newspaper for the school. 

 

                -  2006- 2007 “Purposeful Writing” – A five hundred dollar grant received from the Greater Wilmington Chamber of Commerce Council written for students with disabilities to participate in bi-weekly field trips to community locations that inspire and motivate students to write.